• Permission granted due to shortage of fuel for power generation 
• 4 hours and 40 minutes for areas in Groups A, B, and C 

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama 

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has approved the request made by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to have rotational power shedding for today. 

The permission was granted due to shortage of fuel supply for power generation. 

Accordingly, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake granted permission to have four hour and 40 minute-power cut for today for areas of A,B, C and 4 hours and 30 minutes in the other areas. About 4,000 metric tons of fuel is required daily to generate electricity.    “Yesterday (22) there was a shortage of 2,000 metric tons of fuel. As a result, 550 megawatt power plants were shut down,” he said. 

Today’s fuel requirement is 4,000 metric tons. But only 1,000 metric tons are supplied, he said. 
Accordingly, the fuel shortage for today is 3,000 metric tons, he said.    If there is such a shortage, 750 MW will be withdrawn from the national grid, the chairman said.